Tanzania

AI may have contributed to this destination’s text and activity data. Confirm opening days, transport, prices and entry conditions with the relevant operator or authority; automatic live-data updates do not verify these descriptions.

Zanzibar Islands

Spice islands, Stone Town and white-sand beaches

Visa & entry checker Plan a trip to Zanzibar Islands Plan a trip around Tanzania

Best time to visit: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Currency: TZS
Time zone: UTC+3
Country: Tanzania

Photo: Dr. Ondřej Havelka (cestovatel), CC BY 4.0

Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous Tanzanian archipelago in the Indian Ocean, made up of Unguja (the main island) and Pemba plus many islets. Visitors come for the UNESCO-listed Stone Town, Swahili and Omani history, spice and slave-trade heritage, diving and long white beaches.

Largest cities

Dar es Salaam
Dodoma
Mwanza
Arusha
Mbeya

Quick facts

Figures are rounded recent official estimates.

Country: Tanzania
Capital: Dodoma
Island population: 1.5M
Population of Tanzania: 57.3M
Country area: 947,303 km²
Official language: Swahili and English
Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) · 1 USD ≈ 2,635 TZS
Time zone: UTC+3
Calling code: +255
Drives on the: Left
Elevation: 37 m
Plugs: D / G · 230V
Emergency numbers: 112 · 114 · 115
Best time to visit: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

Temperatures through the year

Average daily high and low for each month in °C. Months marked with a drop are often rainy.

Temperatures through the year

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	31°	32°	31°	29°	28°	28°	28°	28°	29°	29°	30°	30°
Low	26°	26°	25°	24°	24°	23°	22°	22°	22°	23°	24°	25°

Best time to visitOther months

Approximate daily cost

Per adult per day: food, local transport and half a double room, without activities or flights.

ConservativeSimple stays, free and low-cost sights first.$31
HighComfortable hotels, a balanced mix of sights and trips.$95
LuxuryLuxury hotels, more paid experiences and day trips.$315

Plan a trip to Zanzibar Islands

Top things to do

Free
Stone Town walking tour
Wander the UNESCO-listed alleys past carved doors, the old fort and the seafront; go early or late to avoid the midday heat and keep to shaded lanes.
- Half day
- Stone Town
- Good for kids
≈ $25
Spice farm tour
Visit a working plantation to see and smell cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper growing; wear closed shoes and expect a set lunch or fruit tasting.
- Half day
- Stone Town
- Good for kids
≈ $5
Old Slave Market and Anglican cathedral
The site of the former slave market now holds a small museum and memorial; a guide adds context, and the underground holding chambers are the most affecting part.
- Half day
- Stone Town
- Good for kids
- Indoors
Free
Forodhani Gardens night food market
Seafront stalls sell grilled seafood, Zanzibar pizza and sugarcane juice from dusk; eat where locals queue and agree prices before ordering.
- Half day
- Stone Town
- Good for kids
- Good in the evening
Free
Nungwi beach and sunset dhow
The north tip has swimmable water at all tides and a busy sunset scene; a short dhow sail can be arranged on the beach, so fix the price first.
- Half day
- Nungwi and Kendwa
- Good for kids
- Good in the evening
≈ $40
Mnemba Atoll snorkelling or diving
Boats from Matemwe reach the reef in about 20 minutes for coral, reef fish and often dolphins; bring reef-safe sunscreen and take seasickness pills if needed.
- Half day
- Matemwe
- Good for kids
≈ $15
Jozani Forest and red colobus monkeys
A guided boardwalk through the forest reserve is the best chance to see the endemic Zanzibar red colobus; go in the morning when the monkeys are active.
- Half day
- Paje and Jambiani
- Good for kids
≈ $35
Kizimkazi dolphin trip
Early boats from the south coast village search for bottlenose and humpback dolphins; choose an operator that keeps a respectful distance and does not chase the pods.
- Half day
- Kizimkazi
- Good for kids
≈ $60
Kitesurfing lesson at Paje
The shallow lagoon and steady trade winds make Paje one of East Africa's best kite spots; lessons include gear, and the best wind runs from June to September and December to February.
- Half day
- Paje and Jambiani
≈ $90
Safari Blue full-day boat trip
A dhow day out from Fumba in the Menai Bay conservation area with snorkelling, sandbank stops and a seafood lunch; book ahead and take a hat and plenty of water.
- Full day
- Stone Town
- Good for kids

Before you go

Entry and visas

Most visitors need a visa for Tanzania. Many nationalities can apply for an e-visa before travel, and a single-entry tourist visa is also available on arrival at major ports of entry; citizens of some Commonwealth and African countries enter visa-free. All visitors must have a passport valid for at least 6 months with one blank page, proof of onward travel, and mandatory Tanzanian government inbound travel insurance. If Zanzibar is your first port of entry, buy this insurance from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) on arrival or online beforehand; if you arrive first in mainland Tanzania, buy it from the National Insurance Corporation (NIC). A yellow fever certificate is required if you are arriving from a transmission-risk country. Rules vary by nationality, so check the official Tanzanian Immigration Department page before booking.

Official website

From the airport

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) sits about 5 km south of Zanzibar City; taxis wait outside the terminal and take roughly 15–20 minutes to Stone Town, while local dala dala buses run from the stop just outside the gate for a few hundred shillings. Ferries from Dar es Salaam take about 2 hours to the Stone Town port.

Getting around

Walking is best inside Stone Town's narrow alleys; for the rest of the island use taxis, private cars arranged by your hotel, or shared dala dala minibuses.

Local tips

Zanzibar is largely Muslim: dress modestly away from the beach, cover shoulders and knees in Stone Town and villages, and avoid eating or drinking openly in public during Ramadan daylight hours.
Carry cash in Tanzanian shillings for markets, dala dalas and small guesthouses; cards are accepted at bigger hotels and tour operators, and ATMs are limited outside Stone Town.
Agree taxi and boat prices before you set off, and ignore port and airport touts who claim your ferry or ticket office is closed.
The long rains fall around April and the short rains around November; the driest, coolest months are June to October, and the hottest period is January to March.

Areas worth knowing

Matemwe
Kizimkazi
Stone Town
Nungwi and Kendwa
Paje and Jambiani

Official travel advice

The UK Foreign Office last updated its advice for this country on October 9, 2026. The advice includes warnings against travel to some areas. Read it before booking.

Read the advice on GOV.UK